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Elaborate and costly technical and robotic devices may be in seniors' future to monitor their health at home, but simpler an effective devices are already in use to cut health care costs. A recent British study showed that such measures can reduce hospital admissions 20%.

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Many seniors lack access to dental care, and a vast number have periodontal disease, which can lead to poor overall health, writes Vyan Nguyen, program officer at the Gary and Mary West Foundation. The foundation is investing in a dental center for seniors in San Diego that will integrate community-based clinical, dental and social services. The foundation is also funding research on barriers and solutions to oral health care for seniors.

A study by researchers at Johns Hopkins University and the University of Illinois found that Part D prescription drug coverage was tied to an 8% decrease in hospital admissions for seniors and approximately $1.5 billion in hospital-cost savings yearly. The drop in admissions tied to Part D coverage was substantial for certain conditions including coronary atherosclerosis, congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and dehydration.

Recovering home values are helping U.S. seniors, whose home-equity levels are at the highest level since mid-2009, according to a report from the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association. The group, along with the RiskSpan Reverse Mortgage Market Index, looked at home-equity data for people 62 and older. "Tapping into that equity is one option to help fund living expenses, home maintenance costs or health care needs in retirement," said Peter Bell, the reverse-mortgage group's president.

Microsoft is collaborating with the Partners in Care Foundation, St. Barnabas Senior Services and the City of Los Angeles Department of Aging to improve health care of senior citizens through the Exergamers Wellness Club. The initiative, which uses the company's HealthVault to track personal health data, focuses on the integration of technology with overall health management, exercise and Partners in Care's health education, Microsoft said in a news release.

State and federal governments are pushing for programs to improve efforts to bring mental health treatment to the homes of seniors, who represent a large percentage of those in need of mental health help but are often reluctant to seek assistance. In Massachusetts, a survey found that more than one-third of seniors with depression were not getting the care they needed.